Day after student’s death, IIT B to inspect balconies, terraces

Authorities at IIT B are planning to inspect balconies and terraces in the institute premises, to check if any are in need of repair, a day after a student died from falling from the 6th floor of a hostel balcony.

A day after a student of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT B) died after falling from the sixth floor of a hostel balcony, authorities of the institute are planning to inspect balconies and terraces of hostels and buildings in the institute premises, to check if any are in need of repair.

An official from the institute said that the parapets become slippery, especially in the rains, making them dangerous. “While there is no clarity over whether his death was caused by slipping or something else, an inspection is on the cards,” he said.

Aniket Ambhore, a dual-degree electrical engineering student, was talking on the phone in hostel 13 on Thursday evening, when he fell. He was declared dead on arrival at Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar.

According to an IIT Bombay spokesperson, Ambhore was speaking to his father when he fell. “Aniket’s father told us that he was on the phone with him, when suddenly he stopped talking, after which the call got disconnected,” said Rashmi Sablania, IIT spokesperson. Ambhore’s father, however, declined to elaborate on the matter.

The police are investigating the possibility of foul play. A student who lives in the same hostel building said it was unlikely anyone could slip from the balcony. “The sixth floor balcony has a high parapet and there are no gaps. It is highly unlikely that he slipped,” said the student.

Ambhore’s friends refused to believe that the death was a case of suicide. “Aniket is the last person to even think of suicide. He was a happy person and had great ambitions. We are shocked,” said Ashrit Tandon, a student and Aniket’s friend.

The Teacher’s Day celebrations scheduled at IIT B were cancelled on Friday, and instead, a condolence speech was delivered by Devang Khakar, the director.

Police investigations have remained inconclusive so far. “We are looking for eye-witnesses in the case. His call data records will also be checked to ascertain if he was talking on the phone, when the incident occurred. We have registered the matter as an accidental death, as of now,” said Yadavrao Jadhav, senior police inspector, Powai police station.